orkKeys offers a big boost to employers in identifying on-the-job skills their workers need to accomplish essential duties amid frequently changing business conditions — thereby empowering each employee to contribute their best effort to the organization.

As a national system to measure job skills, WorkKeys establishes links between work skills, training, and testing for educational providers and employers. In addition, the program offers employers insights for com- plying with mandates of federal regulatory programs as well as legislation. WorkKeys also supports economic and workforce development, and the system serves as a foundation for workplace readiness training.

WORKKEYS: WHAT'S INVOLVED WorkKeys is a job-skills assessment system measuring "real world" skills that employers believe are critical to job success. These skills are valuable for any occupation — skilled or professional — and at any level of education.

JOB ANALYSIS OPTIONS
for Employers in HR Functions
In particular for employers, WorkKeys provides three different job analysis options to assist companies with personnel selection, performance management, and training decisions.  For instance, the system offers:

JOB PROFILING	A key component of job profiling occurs when a facilitator conducts focus-group type meetings with your employees, thereby encouraging employees to collaborate.
SKILL MAP	This online service provides participating employers with maximum scheduling flexibility.
WORKKEYS ESTIMATOR	A paper-and-pencil format that generates quick results for an employer's recruitment and development efforts.

From an employer's perspective, these efforts involve varying degrees of complex- ity, flexibility, and cost. More information is available at the WorkKeys web site.

SELF-ASSESSMENT OPTIONS FOR JOB
Seekers using Skills-Measuring Tools
Job seekers can use WorkKeys at minimal or no cost through a WorkOne Center. By completing a skills assessment under WorkKeys, an individual can focus his or her job search as well as training efforts.

In addition, the WorkKeys system measures basic skills such as reading and math. And the program identifies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform a specific job from a pool of more than 12,000 positions nationwide. WorkOne helps connect qualified job seekers who possess these skills with the appropriate jobs. Completing the WorkKeys assessment, in itself, demonstrates to employers a commitment to professional standards and skill development.

IDENTIFY GAPS IN SKILLS 
and Guide Worker Training
WorkKeys also helps to identify skill gaps and to guide training decisions for job seekers. The WorkOne Centers have available for individual job seekers self-directed, computer-based skill enhancement systems. The interactive training systems are comprehensive and self-paced. Trainees complete one skill level successfully before advancing to the next. At each level of completion, a job readiness certificate is provided. Such certificates are recognized in Indiana and many other states as certifying the basic skills necessary for successful performance in a job.